1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a digital television (TV) system, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for setting a TV environment in which a TV operation environment is set for each user through user authentication.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a TV system is a system that enables TV viewers to watch TV programs by processing broadcast signals containing the TV programs. The TV that is rapidly being developed is a multimedia apparatus where TV viewers can access a variety of information, regardless of age or general authority to access the same.
Recently, solid security has been demanded in apparatuses transmitting or storing a lot of information, such as computers. In the future, when digital TVs become more sophisticated with Internet access functions, security of information will then be a requisite. Particularly, there is a need to restrict access to harmful channels, e.g., restricting teens from watching particular TV programs. Thus, an accurate recognition of users is needed.
In addition, because of differences in age of users, or technological knowledge, there is a need for a more effective way of setting different channels or TV environments, e.g., standard volume states, image states, or sound effects.
Conventional TV systems have employed a method where a user environment is accessed through an On Screen Display (OSD) technique while the TV is turned on. Every user who wants to watch the TV turns on the TV and sets a preferred environment or selects a prestored user environment.
However, this conventional user environment setting includes problems. First, it is inconvenient for every user who wants to watch the TV to have to turn on the TV and set a preferred environment or select a prestored user environment. Second, it is necessary to have a separate menu to control security for information.